Mayor of London wants a zero-emission transport system by 2050

London mayor Sadiq Khan has a wildly ambitious plan to make the English capital more environmentally friendly. In a draft “Transport Strategy,” which is now subject to public consultation, he suggests making London’s entire transport system zero emission by 2050. That deadline, of course, is a long way off, so Khan has outlined some stepping stones too. He wants all taxis and private hire vehicles to be zero emission “capable” by 2033, followed by buses in 2037 and all remaining road vehicles by 2040. “Transport emissions can blight the streets, harming human health and contributing to climate change now and in the future,” he says.

These measures would help the mayor to establish a “zero emission zone” in central London by 2025, ahead of a larger “inner London” territory by 2040 and a city-wide zone by 2050. “London must meet legal pollution limits as soon as possible,” Khan continues. “This requires an earlier introduction and expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone and making sure public services lead the way. Air quality and climate change are such pressing issues with such dire consequences that London should provide international leadership.” Strong words, especially when the capital’s population is expected to rise from 8.7 million to 10.5 million by 2041.